The present invention relates to a centrifugal separator with a vertical axis and a skimmer consisting of two skimming disks for separating mixtures of liquids, wherein one skimming disk diverts a specifically heavier fraction and the other diverts a specifically lighter fraction out of a basket, wherein the skimmer is located at a certain distance away from the rotating components of the basket and the skimming disks are located in skimming chambers, and wherein an annular catch chamber that is open toward the upper skimming disk, communicate with the skimmer, and has one or more liquid-diversion channels positioned between the upper skimming disk and the lower skimming disk.
A centrifugal separator of this type is known, for example from German Pat. No. 3 006 220. The purpose of the liquid-diversion channels is to keep the laminar flow of liquid that extends from the bottom of the upper skimming disk to the annular catch chamber away from the second skimming chamber. The liquid-diversion channels open into an annular channel that extends into the intake space of the basket. An annular channel of this type, which is concentric with the bottom connection of the stationary intake, makes it necessary to increase the diameter of the rotating opening that surrounds it-- the intake opening into the basket's intake space. This diameter, however, must be kept as small as possible to maximize the output of liquid that can be put through it. The larger the diameter, the greater the risk of the intake space overflowing.